Organ & Piano


In Christ Alone: Tree Settings for


Organ, Benjamin M. Culli, Concordia Publishing House 977952, 2021. What a wonderful arrangement for


the organ. Tis is not just an ordinary transcription for the organ, but also a well-craſted work. It offers three settings: “Improvisation,” “Lullaby,” and “Recessional.” When I first looked


at this piece, I think I played “Lullaby” 10 times before turning the page to the next setting. Culli has done a great service for all organists by giving us such a wonderful setting of a contemporary Christian worship song that is so well worked out. Te “Improvisation” is almost sight-read- able, but the second setting is reminiscent of the Adagio from Widor’s Fiſth Symphony where the melody is in the feet and the hands accompany the melody with dull lush chords. Tis will take some work but will be well worth it. Te final movement would make a great three-page post- lude. Go to Concordia’s website and listen to the “Lullaby.” Kudos, Mr. Culli.


Hymn Tune Innovations: 8 Easy Chorale Preludes for


All Seasons, Set 5, Benjamin M. Culli, Concordia Publish- ing House 977951, 2021. Tere are 11 hymns set as chorale preludes from several


seasons of the liturgical year. Tese are easily learned and well written. Although they are written to be used in the Lutheran service/hymnal, many of the tunes are found in most denominational hymnals. A great resource for the church organist.


Hymn Introductions and Alter-


nate Harmonizations, Volume 2, John E. Wigal, MorningStar Music Publish- ers MSM-10-389, 2021. We can never have enough hymn


adornments as we can use them every week if we wish. Tis is a very useful collection that has a few extras not found in other collections. Tere are


20 hymns set with alternate harmonizations, reproducible descants, introductions, and modulations. Not every tune contains all of the above, but each tune has one or two of the listed features. Having the reproducible descants allows you to copy and give to your sopranos, or a flute, violin, oboe. A first volume of this series (MSM-10-614) is also available.


Piano


Laura Jaquith Bartlett is an ordained deacon in the Oregon-Idaho Conference and a past president of The Fellowship.


Come, Tou Fount of Every Blessing: 12 Hymn Set-


tings for Piano, Timothy Shaw, Birnamwood Publications (a division of MorningStar Music Publishers) MSM-15- 653, 2021. Tis lovely collection of a dozen well-known hymn


tunes is easy but not simple. Tat is to say, the settings are easy to learn in terms of playability (is that a word?), but there is plenty to chew on for both listener and pianist. Many are less than two minutes, but some are longer, in- cluding a theme and variations treatment of Hymn to Joy. Te title tune, Nettleton, is an intriguing setting; most of the way through, I was thinking, “I don’t need to play this again!” But by the end of it, I was eager to return to the be- ginning for further exploration of the unusual harmonies. I was amazed to find a version of Amazing Grace that was neither saccharine nor boring. Tis is a highly versatile assortment that held my attention all the way through.


Morning Has Broken: 11 Hymn


Settings for Piano, David Gale, Bir- namwood Publications (a division of MorningStar Music Publishers) MSM- 15-739, 2020. Like the Shaw collection previous-


ly mentioned, these are settings of familiar hymn tunes. Unlike the Shaw, however, many (though not all) of these are on the upper range of medi-


um difficulty. Highlights include “Just a Closer Walk with Tee,” done as a tribute to George Gershwin; an unusual setting of “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” (Ham- burg), with a medieval vibe that seems to be evoking Divi- num Mysterium; and a wistful treatment of “Jesus Walked Tis Lonesome Valley,” with the fun challenge of figuring out which hand is playing on which end of the piano at any given moment. For solid pianists looking for a challenge, these pieces offer a nice variety.


Interested in reviewing new materials? Contact Sara Collins, ssjcollins24@aol.com.


__________________________________________________________________________________________________ January-February-March 2022 • WorshipArts • UMFellowship.org


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